Chapter 5

Debra POV:

I woke up slowly, my head pounding and my mouth feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. For a moment, I was disoriented, unsure of where I was. The last thing I remembered was the overwhelming shock of the sparks, the terror of realizing Kade Blackwood was my mate, and then... nothing.

I blinked, my eyes slowly adjusting to the soft, dim light. I wasn't in my room. I was in a large, unfamiliar space, lying on a bed that was so comfortable it felt like I was floating on a cloud. The sheets were silk, cool and smooth against my skin.

The room was decorated in shades of black, grey, and deep crimson. It was masculine, elegant, and screamed of power and wealth. A large fireplace dominated one wall, a low fire crackling merrily in the hearth.

I sat up, my head spinning. I was wearing a large, black t-shirt that was definitely not mine. It smelled of pine and storms, a scent that was both intoxicating and terrifyingly familiar.

Kade's scent.

My heart started to hammer against my ribs as the memories of last night came flooding back. The sparks. The bond. My denial. My collapse.

He had brought me here. Wherever 'here' was.

I scrambled out of bed, my bare feet sinking into a thick, plush rug. I looked around for my dress, but it was nowhere to be seen. Panic started to bubble up in my chest. What had he done to me?

Just then, a door opened, and Kade himself walked in. He was carrying a tray with a steaming mug and a plate of toast. He had changed out of his suit and was now wearing a pair of low-slung grey sweatpants and a tight black t-shirt that stretched across his broad chest. He looked even more formidable in casual clothes, more primal, more dangerous.

His golden eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of something in their depths – relief, maybe?

"You're awake," he said, his voice a low, calm rumble. "I was starting to get worried."

"Where am I?" I demanded, my voice coming out as a hoarse whisper. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was only wearing his t-shirt.

"You're at my hotel suite," he replied, setting the tray down on a small table. "You fainted last night. I didn't think it was a good idea to take you back to the pack house."

I eyed him suspiciously. "What happened last night? After I... fainted?"

A muscle flexed in his jaw. "I carried you out of the forest and brought you here. That's all."

I didn't know whether to believe him or not. He was the Blood Moon Alpha, a man with a reputation for taking what he wanted. But he didn't seem to be lying. His gaze was direct, his posture relaxed.

"Why am I wearing your shirt?" I asked, my cheeks flushing.

"Your dress was... well, it was covered in wine and dirt," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I had it sent out to be cleaned. It should be back this afternoon."

So, he hadn't done anything to me. The relief was so profound, my knees almost buckled.

"I brought you some coffee and toast," he said, gesturing to the tray. "You should eat something."

I was starving, but I was also wary. I didn't want to accept anything from him. I didn't want to be indebted to him in any way.

"I'm not hungry," I lied, my stomach choosing that exact moment to let out a loud, embarrassing growl.

Kade's smile widened, and this time it reached his eyes, making them crinkle at the corners. The sight was so unexpected, so disarming, it stole my breath away.

"Your stomach disagrees," he said, his tone amused. "Come on, Debra. Eat. We need to talk, and it's better to do it on a full stomach."

I hesitated for a moment, then gave in. I was too tired, too hungry, and too confused to argue. I sat down in one of the plush armchairs by the fire and picked up the mug of coffee. It was black, just the way I liked it.

I took a sip, the hot, bitter liquid a welcome shock to my system. I nibbled on the toast, my eyes darting around the room, taking in every detail. This suite was bigger than my entire apartment at the pack house.

Kade sat down in the chair opposite me, watching me with that same unnerving intensity from last night. He didn't speak, just let me eat in silence.

When I was finished, I set the plate and mug down and finally met his gaze. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Us," he said simply.

My heart skipped a beat. "There is no 'us'."

"Yes, there is," he countered, his voice firm. "The Moon Goddess has chosen us for each other, Debra. You can't deny the bond."

"I can and I will," I said, my voice rising. "I don't want a mate. I don't want you."

The words were harsh, and I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes before he masked it. It gave me a small, petty sense of satisfaction. I wanted to hurt him, to push him away, to make him leave me alone.

"Why?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No," I lied. I was terrified of him. I was terrified of the power he held over me, of the way he made me feel, of the bond that was already starting to weave its way around my heart.

"Then what is it?" he pressed. "Why are you so determined to fight this?"

"Because I've seen what mating does to a she-wolf!" I burst out, the words I had held back for so long finally spilling out. "It makes you weak. It makes you dependent. My mother loved my father, and he forgot about her the moment she was in the ground. I will not be another forgotten Luna, Kade. I will not let my happiness depend on a man who could discard me at any moment."

The silence that followed my outburst was deafening. Kade just stared at me, his expression unreadable. I had laid my heart bare, exposed all my fears and insecurities. Now he would laugh at me, call me a fool, and leave.

But he didn't. Instead, he leaned forward, his golden eyes boring into mine.

"I am not your father," he said, his voice a low, solemn vow. "And you, Debra, are nothing like your mother. You are a fighter. You are strong. And I would never, ever discard you. You are my mate, my other half. Forgetting you would be like forgetting how to breathe."

His words were a balm to my wounded soul, a promise of a future I had never dared to dream of. But I couldn't let myself believe him. It was too soon, too fast, too dangerous.

"I don't believe you," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears.

"Then I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you," he said, his voice filled with a conviction that sent a shiver down my spine.

He stood up and walked over to me, kneeling down in front of my chair. He gently took my hands in his, his large, warm palms engulfing my smaller, colder ones.

"I know you're scared," he said, his voice soft and gentle. "But you don't have to be. I will protect you, Debra. I will cherish you. I will be the mate you deserve."

He lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my knuckles. The simple, tender gesture was more intimate, more profound than any kiss I had ever imagined.

And in that moment, for the first time in a very long time, I felt a flicker of something I thought I had lost forever.

Hope.